Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-13
TURKISH JUSTICE.
An Outrageous Attack on n Bu'sa-
rtau Family


In the year 1876, writes Amoudiah
Bey in the 81. Jamcs'S Gazette, bad
occasion TO report to the embassy at.
Ccngs1rt;rc.,c Q oaae C. robbery, &c
compnnied by savage outrage, when
had been committed on bulgarian
family in the village of Kara Aghadliar,
near the town of Yanboli, on the river
Toandia. The nssailants were described
as six in number, Circassians, or dressed
ae Circassians. The details of the crime
were as given to me very full, and guar
anteed by the written dispositions OF the
head men of the village, both Christian
and Mussulman.
A few weeks afterward ] received
news from the embassy that my report,
having been sent to the Sublime Porte,
had been answered by fiat denial
TIE Porte claiming to be in possession
Of documents, signed by the injured
family and the headmen, proving that
neither robbery nor outrage had been
committed. knowing well that the
usual tactics of Turkish authorities at
Stamboul consist in meeting a point
blank accusation by on equally point
blank denial, backed up by the neces-
sary documents obtained by promises
and. tbreats), l should have contented
myself, under ordinary circumstances,
with leaving the affair to take It's own
course-that is, never 10 be more heard
of: but, in the mean time, a rather
unusual incident had occurred.
Three peasants from the village III
question came to find me out, having
travelled nearly sixty miles for that
purpose. They informed me that the
Governor (kaimakam) of Yamboli had
sent q gendarme to Kara Aghadllar
with q promise Of two pair Of oxen to
the injured family if they and the
headmen would sign a declaration di-
rectly contradicting what they had
before deposed to. As the promise was
supplemented by advice "not to make
enemies of the authorities, " the desired
PAPER was signed. The orthodoxpriests,
however, hearing of the manGuvre, de-
clared that they would not admit to the
eucharist any persons who were con
cerned in the fabrication OF the second
document until it was retracted; and
nv three visitors brought with them
the communal seal and offered to sign
statement relating the whole intrigue.
This / refused, not wishing to bring
them into trouble; but | extracted
promise that, if necessary, they would
repeat what they told me at some iu-
ture time.
Shortly after this | received tele-
gram from Haidar Bey, Lieutenant
Governor Of Sliyen, a great friend OF
mine and an excellent fellow, saying he
was at town twenty-five miles distant,
wanted to see me on very urgent busl-
ness, and should he come to me or
would l go to him? l chose to ride
over. and, after the usual coffee and to-
bacco, before which no Turk will speak
to bis guest on business, Haidar
Bey opened fire. As ! had sup
posed, the Kara-Aghadilar affair was
brought out. A translation into
Turkish Of my report was read
to ne, and T. allowed that it really was
very fairly correct, ora Translation.
"Well. NY deer fellow says Haidar
Fcv, "this time you'll have to allow
vou've been utterly misinformed.
"Eeally?" ] replied "and why so?
because, Won see, We have declara-
alton (mazbata) in form from the vii
lape saying that no crime Of tine Kind
was committed. and, after reading 1t to
you. ] an instructed to ask youto kind
" give me a scrap Of paper aclnowl-
Cdeing your mistake. Delighted,
IN sure, but, unluckily for you,
+ know al about your latest MAJ
hata." Bnd then | told him what my
three Pulcars lad come TO me about.
! he I'D not attempt to deny this, but
appealed to my liking for him, spying
that if I refused he would lose ms post
Of Lieutenant-G Governor, as the Porte
WIS keen on the matter Then lspoke
ont to him and said that if be were
swearing on the Koran and giving has
word as a gentleman, would declare
that in nv place he would give such a
PAPER. then would do what he asked.
| Half minute later he replied, "No, |
wouldn't. 1 suppose they'll send some
body in place Of me to Shyen. Come
to dinner"
This rather lengthy prologue is, !
think, absolutely necessary to explain
wLv l found myself later on holding
what should fancy is an entirely mn.
precedented interview with q grand
vizior.
Staying at Therapia a month orso az
terVard, / met on a Bosphous steamer
an acquaintance who said that the
son Of the Grand Vizier (then Mehmet
Rushdi Pacha) wished to make my ac
ouaintance; the son Il forget his name
informed me that his father was anxious
to know me, and of course ] replied
that / was at lis Highness' S service. 81
t was settled that an appointment
should be made by letter. The same
drv | spoke to the ambassador, who
told ne he was glad, as he had though
of asking me TO see the Vizier abou
the Kara-Ag hadjlar report, and that h'
would instruct Mr.. NJ, one Of thu
draqomans, to go with me when | tele
graphed TO Mr.. NJ time and place 10
,he interview.
When the appointment was made
received the letter in the evening only
and was expected to be at MehIne
Rushdi's summer-housea ut 9 o'clock mex
morning, and Immediately telegraphe'
% Mr.. VI. to meet me at Bebek. Whel
( came to the pier no Mr.. NJ. was there
nd ] had to face all my possible dill
ulties alone. Upstairs / found tn
usual great oblong room, about tire
,ides windows, filed, or nearly filled
with some hundred or moreof EHendls
none OF whom l seemed to know. 4
n Turkey it is sometimes necessar
20 assert ones self more than one woul
10 in England, / took q seat on the d
, van at the upper end of the room, an
, | very shortly had the pleasure of seem
A gentleman come up to me and lnqulr
most cordially when had come froI
? Roumelia why, how was A, b, and [
and SO on. OF course, / related all m
title Accompaniment, miscarrle
, telegram, etc-and asked him what
, should do. "Oh, nothing easier Tn
Grand Vizier hasn't got up yet; br
p there's his bedroom. I'll go and te
-. Al ,-o,, 1op4 wont 1ra OOm0I